Martha boeciiardt



(No Model.)

M. BOROHARDT. 4SKIRT.

Patented June 15, 1897.

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A rrbnNEKS llwirnn States ATENT ffiOsirFICE,

MARTHA BORCIIARDT, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

SKIRT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,454, dated J' une 15, 1897.

' Application filed July 2, 1896. Serial Nox 597,81'7. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may con/Geru.-

Be it known that I, MARTHA BoRci-IARDT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladies7 Skirts, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawin gs, formin g a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in ladies7 skirts, the object of the invention being to supply an article of this character which is so Constructed as to obviate the use of crinoline or other auxiliary lining therefor, while at the same time the skirt has the requisite fullness and shape generally produced by the use of crinoline,auxiliary skirts, or other heavy linings.

A further object of the invention is to lessen the cost of production by the use of a series of straight narrow strips of material, Whereby no Waste of material is required in the cutting of the skirt.

The invention will be hereinafter fully described, and specifically set forth in the anneXed claim. In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a disassembled view of the several parts of my improved skirt shown in blank. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of myimproved skirt, showing the same adj usted to the body of a wearer; and Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional elevation taken on a line :r x of Fig. 2.

In the practice of my invention I cut from any suitable material long narrow strips A, B, O, D, and E, which said strips may be of any suitable Width, but they must be of variable lengths, and in practice the first strip A is about two yards long; the second Strip B,two yards and a half; the third strip O,

three yards and a half; .the fourth strip, four yards and a half, and the fifth strip about six yards, the strips being approximately a quarter of a yard in Width. In assembling the strips they are connected to each other by a hein 1, which said hem contains a heavy cord 2, adapted for stiffening and shapingthe skirt.. The several sections forming the skirt are preferably gathered slightly, and the top section at the Waist-line is preferably supplied with an ordinary gathering-string. Each of the cords connecting the sections increases in diameter, and owing to the stiff heavy nature of the said cords the skirt is maintained in a bell shape without the use ofany auxiliary lining or crinoline. The bottom section E of the skirt is preferably gathered to a greater extent than the other sections, Whereby a ruffie effect is produced. The lower edge of this said section is also provided with a heavy cord 3 for maintaining the same in proper shape.

1 do not coniine myself to the use of gathered sections or of a rufiie upon the bottom of the skirt, as it is obvious that under the scope of my invention I am entitled to make the sections plain and smooth, if desirable; neither do I confine myself to the use of a specific number of annular sections forming the skirt.

Having thus described my invention, what 4 I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A skirt formed of annular strips of fabric seamed together edge to edge, a cord located at each seam-line of the skirt for the purpose of securing the Stiffness and rigidity thereof, and a cord located at the lower edge of the skirt, the said strips being of different len gths,whereby the skirt gradually increases in Width from top to bottom thereof, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 29th day of June, 1896.

MARTHA BORCHARDT.

XVitnesses:

MARCELLA G. MCLEAN, O. O. WINGE. 

